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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Our numbers aren't the same as yours, but my kids also need merit. There is a chart out there somewhere that shows the average merit aid each college gives and how many students with no need get merit aid. Obviously it isn't exact (and changes each year) but it can at least tell you which colleges are completely unworkable. Then run a couple of NPCs for colleges known to be generous. That will give you an idea of whether you'll qualify for any need based aid. (Sounds unlikely, but if you have kids/parents with high medical costs or something, maybe you can see if a college will adjust based on that?)

Once you have those basics, you then start to look at schools that have a chance of getting there. You'll need a few that are safe both for admission and affordability. Maybe a couple of in-state publics. Or an out of state public with [u]automatic [/u] merit based on stats (that list changes each year). I would at least have two of these so your kid has a choice in the end if nothing else works out.

[b]Then you do your targets - again both for admission AND affordability. So you'll be aiming for ones that are pretty sure things for admission (because your kid needs to be at the top of admitted students) but where merit is possible but not guaranteed.  
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Then you let your kid pick a couple of long shots - as long as they know they can only go if the money works out. Those are the ones that offer a couple of hard to get scholarships.  I would have your kid submit these only after he has done several of the two other categories.  [/quote]

Thank you- this is helpful and like the idea of discussing academic reaches as well as financial reaches.  I didn't really have any reaches on my list yet but this makes total sense.[/quote]

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